Internet users (Internet Service Providers (ISPs)) [time series]

2 (2000)

Internet country code [time series]

.to

Internet users [time series]

1,000 (2000)

Broadcast media (Radio broadcast stations) [time series]

AM 1, FM 2, shortwave 1 (2001)

Radios [time series]

61,000 (1997)

Telecommunication systems (Telephone system) [time series]

general assessment: NA domestic: NA international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean) (1996)

Telephones - fixed lines (Telephones - main lines in use) [time series]

8,000 (1996)

Telephones - mobile cellular [time series]

302 (1996)

Broadcast media (Television broadcast stations) [time series]

2 (2001)

Televisions [time series]

2,000 (1997)

Agricultural products (Agriculture - products) [time series]

squash, coconuts, copra, bananas, vanilla beans, cocoa, coffee, ginger, black pepper; fish

Budget [time series]

revenues: $39.9 million expenditures: $52.4 million, including capital expenditures of $1.9 million (FY99/00 est.)

Exchange rates (Currency) [time series]

pa'anga (TOP)

Exchange rates (Currency code) [time series]

TOP

Debt - external [time series]

$57.5 million (June 2001)

Economic aid (Economic aid - recipient) [time series]

Australia $5.5 million, New Zealand $2.3 million (FY01/02)

Economic overview (Economy - overview) [time series]

Tonga has a small, open economy with a narrow export base in agricultural goods. Squash, coconuts, bananas, and vanilla beans are the main crops, and agricultural exports make up two-thirds of total exports. The country must import a high proportion of its food, mainly from New Zealand. Tourism is the second largest source of hard currency earnings following remittances. The country remains dependent on external aid and remittances from Tongan communities overseas to offset its trade deficit. The government is emphasizing the development of the private sector, especially the encouragement of investment, and is committing increased funds for health and education. Tonga has a reasonable basic infrastructure and well-developed social services.

Electricity - consumption [time series]

27.9 million kWh (2000)

Electricity - exports [time series]

0 kWh (2000)

Electricity - imports [time series]

0 kWh (2000)

Electricity - production [time series]

30 million kWh (2000)

Electricity - production by source [time series]

fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% other: 0% (2000) nuclear: 0%

Exchange rates [time series]

pa'anga per US dollar - 2.1920 (January 2002), 2.1236 (2001), 1.7585 (2000), 1.5991 (1999), 1.4920 (1998), 1.2635 (1997)

Exports [time series]

$9.3 million f.o.b. (2000 est.)

Exports - commodities [time series]

squash, fish, vanilla beans, root crops

Exports - partners [time series]

Japan 50.4%, US 31.6%, NZ 4.1%, Australia 2.1%, Fiji 1.7% (2000 est.)

Fiscal year [time series]

1 July - 30 June

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) (GDP) [time series]

purchasing power parity - $225 million (2000 est.)

GDP - composition, by sector of origin (GDP - composition by sector) [time series]

agriculture: 30% industry: 10% services: 60% (2001 est.)

Real GDP per capita (GDP - per capita) [time series]

purchasing power parity - $2,200 (2000 est.)

Real GDP growth rate (GDP - real growth rate) [time series]

5.3% (2000 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share [time series]

lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%

Imports [time series]

$70 million c.i.f. (2000 est.)

Imports - commodities [time series]

foodstuffs, machinery and transport equipment, fuels, chemicals

Imports - partners [time series]

New Zealand 29.8%, Japan 18.6%, Australia 12.7%, US 12.7%, Fiji 12.2% (2000 est.)

Industrial production growth rate [time series]

8.6% (FY98/99)

Industries [time series]

tourism, fishing

Inflation rate (consumer prices) [time series]

9.4% (2001 est.)

Labor force [time series]

33,908 (1996)

Labor force - by occupation [time series]

agriculture 65% (1997 est.)

Population below poverty line [time series]

NA%

Unemployment rate [time series]

13.3% (1996 est.)

Area [time series]

total: 748 sq km water: 30 sq km land: 718 sq km

Area - comparative [time series]

four times the size of Washington, DC

Climate [time series]

tropical; modified by trade winds; warm season (December to May), cool season (May to December)

Coastline [time series]

419 km

Elevation (Elevation extremes) [time series]

lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: unnamed location on Kao Island 1,033 m

Environment - current issues [time series]

deforestation results as more and more land is being cleared for agriculture and settlement; some damage to coral reefs from starfish and indiscriminate coral and shell collectors; overhunting threatens native sea turtle populations

International environmental agreements (Environment - international agreements) [time series]

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Law of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geographic coordinates [time series]

20 00 S, 175 00 W

Geography - note [time series]

archipelago of 169 islands (36 inhabited)

Irrigated land [time series]

NA sq km

Land boundaries [time series]

0 km

Land use [time series]

arable land: 23.61% permanent crops: 43.06% other: 33.33% (1998 est.)

Location [time series]

Oceania, archipelago in the South Pacific Ocean, about two-thirds of the way from Hawaii to New Zealand

Map references [time series]

Oceania

Maritime claims [time series]

continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation territorial sea: 12 NM exclusive economic zone: 200 NM

Natural hazards [time series]

cyclones (October to April); earthquakes and volcanic activity on Fonuafo'ou

Natural resources [time series]

fish, fertile soil

Terrain [time series]

most islands have limestone base formed from uplifted coral formation; others have limestone overlying volcanic base

Administrative divisions [time series]

3 island groups; Ha'apai, Tongatapu, Vava'u

Capital [time series]

Nuku'alofa

Constitution [time series]

4 November 1875, revised 1 January 1967

Country name [time series]

conventional long form: Kingdom of Tonga conventional short form: Tonga former: Friendly Islands

Diplomatic representation from the US [time series]

the US does not have an embassy in Tonga; the ambassador to Fiji is accredited to Tonga

Diplomatic representation in the US [time series]

chief of mission: Ambassador Sonatane T. T. TUPOU chancery: 250 East 51st Street, New York, NY 10022 telephone: [1] (917) 369-1136 consulate(s) general: San Francisco FAX: [1] (917) 369-1024

Executive branch [time series]

chief of state: King Taufa'ahau TUPOU IV (since 16 December 1965) note: there is also a Privy Council that consists of the monarch, the Cabinet, and two governors elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; prime minister and deputy prime minister appointed for life by the monarch cabinet: Cabinet, appointed by the monarch, consists of 12 members head of government: Prime Minister Prince Lavaka ata ULUKALALA (since NA February 2000) and Deputy Prime Minister Tevita TOPOU (since NA January 2001)

Flag (Flag description) [time series]

red with a bold red cross on a white rectangle in the upper hoist-side corner

Government type [time series]

hereditary constitutional monarchy

Independence [time series]

4 June 1970 (from UK protectorate)

International organization participation [time series]

ACP, AsDB, C, ESCAP, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ITU, Sparteca, SPC, SPF, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO (observer)

Judicial branch [time series]

Supreme Court (judges are appointed by the monarch); Court of Appeal (consists of the Privy Council with the addition of the chief justice of the Supreme Court)

Legal system [time series]

based on English law

Legislative branch [time series]

unicameral Legislative Assembly or Fale Alea (30 seats - 12 reserved for cabinet ministers sitting ex officio, nine for nobles selected by the country's 33 nobles, and nine elected by popular vote; members serve three-year terms) elections: last held 7 March 2002 (next to be held NA 2005) election results: percent of vote - pro-democratic 70%; seats - pro-democratic 7, traditionalist 2

National holiday [time series]

Independence Day, 4 June (1970)

Political parties (Political parties and leaders) [time series]

there are no political parties

Political parties (Political pressure groups and leaders) [time series]

Tonga Human Rights and Democracy Movement or THRDM [Akilisi POHIVA, president]

Suffrage [time series]

21 years of age; universal

Background [time series]

The archipelago of "The Friendly Islands" was united into a Polynesian kingdom in 1845. It became a constitutional monarchy in 1875 and a British protectorate in 1900. Tonga acquired its independence in 1970 and became a member of the Commonwealth of Nations. It remains the only monarchy in the Pacific.

Military and security forces (Military branches) [time series]

Tonga Defense Services (made up of three operational command components and two support elements, including the Royal Marines, Royal Guards, Maritime Force, a support/logistics group, and a training group), Police; note - a new air wing that will be subordinate to the Ministry of Defense is being developed

Military expenditures - dollar figure [time series]

$NA

Military expenditures (Military expenditures - percent of GDP) [time series]

NA%

Age structure [time series]

0-14 years: 39.5% (male 21,374; female 20,555) 15-64 years: 56.4% (male 29,519; female 30,322) 65 years and over: 4.1% (male 1,945; female 2,422) (2002 est.)

Birth rate [time series]

24.08 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Death rate [time series]

5.63 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Ethnic groups [time series]

Polynesian, Europeans about 300

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate [time series]

NA%

HIV/AIDS - deaths [time series]

NA

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS [time series]

NA

Infant mortality rate [time series]

13.72 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)

Languages [time series]

Tongan, English

Life expectancy at birth [time series]

total population: 68.56 years female: 71.11 years (2002 est.) male: 66.13 years

Literacy [time series]

definition: can read and write Tongan and/or English total population: 98.5% male: 98.4% female: 98.7% (1996 est.)

Nationality [time series]

noun: Tongan(s) adjective: Tongan

Net migration rate [time series]

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Population [time series]

106,137 (July 2002 est.)

Population growth rate [time series]

1.85% (2002 est.)

Religions [time series]

Christian (Free Wesleyan Church claims over 30,000 adherents)

Sex ratio [time series]

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.8 male(s)/female total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2002 est.)

Total fertility rate [time series]

3 children born/woman (2002 est.)

Disputes - international [time series]

none

Airports [time series]

6 (2001)

Airports - with paved runways [time series]

total: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 (2002)

Airports - with unpaved runways [time series]

total: 5 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 2 under 914 m: 2 (2002)

Roadways (Highways) [time series]

total: 680 km paved: 184 km unpaved: 496 km (1996)

Merchant marine [time series]

total: 80 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 292,139 GRT/421,221 DWT ships by type: bulk 10, cargo 54, liquefied gas 4, petroleum tanker 8, roll on/roll off 4 note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience: Albania 1, Australia 4, Austria 1, Bolivia 1, Cyprus 1, Djibouti 1, Egypt 2, Greece 4, Lebanon 2, Liberia 2, Marshall Islands 2, Morocco 1, Norway 1, Panama 1, Romania 3, Russia 1, Sao Tome and Principe 1, Saudi Arabia 2, Singapore 1, Sweden 1, Switzerland 3, Syria 5, Ukraine 1, United Arab Emirates 16, United States 4 (2002 est.)

Ports (Ports and harbors) [time series]

Neiafu, Nuku'alofa, Pangai

Railways [time series]

0 km

Waterways [time series]

none